tonguing and staccato playing. In his instructions he was solid and faithful, and at the same time encouraging. As a man, he gained the unalloyed esteem and the sincere friendship of all those who became acquainted with him; and quietly pursuing the even tenor of his way, he had no enemies.

The death of such a man is truly a loss to the progress of the art here; for although its history may not speak of him, as a startling apparition, or as having been prominent in great improvements, yet his residence among us has increased the respect for the art and artists among his cotemporaries-a thing so much desired for the progress of music. His instructions have contributed to improve musical taste and knowledge, and thus we may truly and emphatically say, his life has not been in vain among us.

TO OUR READERS.

Desirous of increasing the value of the Musical Magazine as much as in our power, we have entered into arrangements, which will procure us critical reports of musical events in our sister cities of New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore; we shall also regularly furnish our readers with whatever new and of general interest occurs in Europe. To effect these purposes we visited New York and Philadelphia, but unfortunately at a time which gave us no opportunity of attending any public performances, and thus judging of the musical taste in these cities.

In New York, however, we were gratified with a musical enjoyment, which, in our city, we could not have had in that perfection. We refer to a trio, which we heard in a private house. A merchant to whom we were introduced, has once a week a quartette in his house, played by some of the most eminent musicians in the city. Although himself not a musical performer, he finds delight in their music, and knows how to make his home that of a friend to them. Unrestrained by any stiff etiquette, or a large audience, listened to by their host alone or a few friends, they can abandon themselves entirely to their feelings, and play with a full relish. Such is the true amateur, the true Mecenas of the artist. It is gratifying to the artist to be treated like a friend by the man of means, and to be listened to for the sake of enjoying the music itself, which he produces, and not merely of wondering at his 'dexterity in performing it. Such men, who can with pleasure to themselves listen to a concerted piece

of instrumental music, without taking part in it, will also be liberal in the support of the art, and it must flourish where they do not stand alone.

The music we speak of was performed by Scharffenberg, pianoforte, Hill, violin, and Boucher, violoncello. They played a trio by Reissiger, and one by Mayseder, and some solo pieces for the different instruments. Scharffenberg's characteristic, as far as we could learn it from this evening, is great power of touch, with calmness and evenness of execution. We cannot, of course, compare him to any player here, for there are none here that could any ways compete with him, but we can to the two New York pianists, Rakeman and Kossowsky, and we would place him between them. He appears not to have all the fire and imagination of the latter, but instead of it a correcter mechanism, and by means of it a more even and less heavy playing; on the other hand he appears not fully to have the elegance, the finish of Rakemann's playing, but much more power. In comparing Hill to Schmidt, we would say he has more power and tone, but not so good bowing by far, and consequently not so refined a tone, or so many shades of expression at command. Boucher again we cannot compare to any one. He has a fine tone, great freedom of bowing, and great certainty in his passages. The three together, playing the music fully con gusto, gave us a fine realization of the compositions, which they performed.

While in New York, we heard much spoken of a concert lately given by the German Society, and which concert was universally called the best since the great one in honor of the lamented Schlesinger, whose memory we found still fresh. It had been conducted by Mr. Hill and Beethoven's grand symphony in C minor had formed the chief attraction, and been performed in a style that reminded the hearer of a European performance, all the instruments being manned in good proportion to the whole number, and it being well studied; things which are rarely achieved in American orchestras.

The oratorio of David was performed by the New York Sacred Music Society under the direction of Mr. Hill, and the Opera of Norma, in the Park theatre, with Mrs. Sutton, after we had left, The text to this opera, which had in the beginning of the winter created such an excitement in Philadelphia with the Woods, had been newly translated and adapted by Mr. Sutton. The Philadelphia translation by Mr. Fry, however, was considered superior on account of the greater care to adapt musical words to the music.

THE MUSICAL MAGAZINE.

NO. LIX.

BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 1841.

Hints upon a Rational Method of Instruction for Teachers of Music generally, with special Application to the Piano Forte, by Conrad Berg.

[TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN FOR THE MUSICAL MAGAZINE.]

(Continued from p. 90.)

All these remarks relate exclusively to the mechanical part of piano playing. It now remains only to speak of its spirit, namely,

8. Of Expression.

In order to present in the best manner possible the idea of expression on the piano forte, it will not be superfluous to make some inquiries in relation to the spirit of this instrument.

What is the true spirit of piano playing, in the present state of the art? It is richness of tone and fulness of harmony,―(this last must not be confounded with the structure of notes and the accumulation of chords.) Accordingly, that which in the most clear and powerful manner brings out this richness is expression. And thus, the requisites for obtaining this are, 1. A full, clear, and uniform touch; 2. A round and distinct performance; 3. What the French call' aplomb, that is, a well filled out, well-sustained time and an accurate

concurrence of both hands; 4. A close observance of all the designated shades of expression, forte, piano, crescendo and diminuendo, legato and staccato, and the like. As the opposite of all this one must avoid, 1. A hard, faint or unequal touch, which is occasioned by a bad, drooping manner of holding the hand or by a strained or excessively cramped position of the fingers; 2. A forced, interrupted, or embarrassed mode of playing; 3. A hurried, imperfect [defective] time, and the striking of one hand after the other; 4. Unnecessary useless, shades of expression.

It is a very erroneous idea, that one must himself invent shades of expression in order to play with taste. The best expression is always that prescribed by the author himself, studied with care, and rendered with feeling. The highest beauty, so far as it respects piano playing, depends upon the touch, and the round, distinct manner of playing and the a-plomb.

In the close study of a piece of music, it is desirable not to wait until the end before engaging in giving the expression; but as soon as the individual passages can be performed with some degree of pureness and certainty, one should endeavor to carry along with his exercise the appropriate expression. Indeed it very frequently happens, that only by closely attending to this last and only by a good touch, and by playing roundly the remaining improvements yet to be made are more clearly perceived and apprehended, and in this way only every thing is brought to its full maturity.

In increasing and diminishing passages (crescendo and diminuendo) it is advisable, not to commence the expression too early, for in that case nothing would be left for the close. In introductory passages also, provided they are without accompaniment and lead to a melody, one may allow himself a little retardation; still this must be done with care and feeling, and never at the expense of the time, that is to say, in such a manner that it would thereby become unintelligible. In like manner also in melodious passages, in the case of rising and falling of the notes, slight retardations are again admissible, but yet this likewise must be done with all possible discretion, and never one measure be made longer or shorter than the other.

3. Application of these Rules.

Of the particulars which have been given, the four first are sufficient to bring out a piece of music without any serious fault, and indeed, they contain much also that is adapted to improve one on

the points which follow. The four others relate to the more perfect refinement in playing.

Both the first particulars, succession and time, can always be practised in connexion; but yet it is well clearly to separate and distinguish the two ideas from one another, because the case often occurs in which each must be investigated and rectified individually. In like manner also, can the two following particulars, the striking of the notes and fingering, sometimes be treated in connexion: still it is better to accomplish each separately.

If a piece is not very long, one may go completely through it, and each time go successively over all these points.

The whole at once in connexion is always preferable to the succes

sive addition of its separate parts. But provided the piece be too long, it must be divided up into two or more parts, and each individual part formed into one whole, and these again must be joined together. But one must here carefully observe that one or another of these parts be not inferior to the rest in expertness, certainty and

ease.

SECOND DIVISION.

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION IN GENERAL.

$ 4. The method to be adopted in the case of each scholar, according to the degree of his present attainments.

The inquiry will be made, To whom are the foregoing precepts adapted? What degree of skill do they presuppose, in order to be applied with advantage?

It is true, indeed, that they are not designed for new beginners, but for those who, with some degree of natural talent, have already enjoyed from one and a half to two years of instruction, and have thus become fully possessed of the elementary principles of music.

A small experiment which I shall hereafter make in a method of elementary instruction, will show how far the latter stands connected with the foregoing method. I only wish, however, that every commencement in music might uniformly be made with singing; and for this purpose, as it seems to me, the most suitable means are singing schools, on the plan of mutual instruction, as they exist in several cities of France. There is so infinitely much depending upon a fundamental elementary instruction, that neither parents nor